PRINTER'S NO. 1549
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1386
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY KUTZ, SIEGEL, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, CIRESI, CONKLIN,
FLEMING, HEFFLEY, IRVIN, KHAN, MADDEN AND SANCHEZ,
JUNE 13, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
JUNE 13, 2023
AN ACT
Amending Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in real property,
providing for Pennsylvania attainable housing community
designation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 68 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 62
PENNSYLVANIA ATTAINABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY DESIGNATION
Sec.
6201. Scope of chapter.
6202. Definitions.
6203. Qualifications.
6204. Application.
6205. Department duties.
§ 6201. Scope of chapter.
This chapter relates to the Pennsylvania attainable housing
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community designation.
§ 6202. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Accessory dwelling unit." An ancillary or secondary living
unit that has a separate kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area,
existing either within the same structure or on the same lot, as
the primary dwelling unit.
"Attainable housing community." A designation applied to
municipalities that meet the criteria established under this
chapter.
"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Middle income." Housing that is affordable to households
earning between 60% and 120% of Area Median Income (AMI).
"Missing middle." Forms of housing options that include
side-by-side duplexes, stacked duplexes, townhouses or other
housing alternatives to single-family or traditional multifamily
housing.
"Mixed-use development." An urban, suburban, village
development or single building that combines residential,
commercial, cultural, institutional or industrial uses to
provide more efficiency for the community in terms of space,
transportation and economic development.
"Workforce housing." Housing that is in near proximity to an
employee's worksite and affordable to households earning between
60% and 120% of Area Median Income (AMI).
§ 6203. Qualifications.
The department shall award the designation of an attainable
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housing community to a municipality if the municipality submits
an application to the department and demonstrates that the
municipality:
(1) Allows for accessory dwelling units in some of the
municipality's municipal zoning ordinances.
(2) Provides solutions for missing middle, middle income
and workforce housing needs.
(3) Allows for mixed-use development, where appropriate.
§ 6204. Application.
A municipality that chooses to adopt a municipal zoning
ordinance that meets the qualifications under section 6203
(relating to qualifications) and receive the designation
established under this chapter, must submit an ordinance to the
department for review.
§ 6205. Department duties.
The department shall:
(1) Process and review an ordinance submitted by a
municipality under section 6204 (relating to application).
(2) Review the application to determine whether the
municipal zoning ordinance provides for housing solutions
that meet the qualifications for missing middle, middle
income and workforce housing needs.
(3) Create an online registry where municipalities that
are designated as an attainable housing community under this
chapter shall be listed.
(4) Notify the municipality whether the application has
been approved, and if the municipality has been approved as
an attainable housing community.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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